1
as in magic
the art or skill of performing tricks or illusions for entertainment
the illusionist's show is an entertaining blend of legerdemain and over-the-top showmanship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
the reduction of the deficit is due in part to financial legerdemain that masks the true costs of running the government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legerdemain
There is something more profound going on than constitutional legerdemain.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
Conservatives been rightly preoccupied with the Left’s legerdemain and subversion, but have been far too slow to confront an equally grave external danger: the accelerating penetration of foreign influence operations into our own right-of-center political ecosystem.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Between April 1 and 7, the fair gathered 60 brands at the Palexpo exhibition center that broke new records, showcased world premieres and offered an ever-growing array of technical and artistic legerdemain in their latest high-end timepieces.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2025
No matter how Congress formally scores the price of extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as other Trump initiatives, accounting legerdemain can’t make fiscal reality disappear.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legerdemain
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
Conservatives been rightly preoccupied with the Left’s legerdemain and subversion, but have been far too slow to confront an equally grave external danger: the accelerating penetration of foreign influence operations into our own right-of-center political ecosystem.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Between April 1 and 7, the fair gathered 60 brands at the Palexpo exhibition center that broke new records, showcased world premieres and offered an ever-growing array of technical and artistic legerdemain in their latest high-end timepieces.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2025
No matter how Congress formally scores the price of extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as other Trump initiatives, accounting legerdemain can’t make fiscal reality disappear.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legerdemain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legerdemain
Noun
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Hocus pocus Ronaldinho territory and that, typically, was where the magic happened.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
There couldn’t have been a better scene to step out into after watching a documentary romanticizing the magic of the city.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Noun
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But the dramatic vision-boosting reputation carrots have carried for decades traces back to a wartime deception, not science.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
People desperately need reassurances that elections are decided honestly, without tricks or deception to favor a candidate or a party.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Noun
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The stunt aims to confirm the robot’s physical capabilities and counter claims of digital trickery, marking an unusual strategy in a sector where technical specifications typically serve as proof.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Dec. 2025
-
Paired with the visual trickery of the hallucinations, the horrors of Sleep Awake often resemble sleep paralysis.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Jakirovic was speaking before the EFL’s independent commission came down heavy on Southampton’s subterfuge.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
-
Skip the subterfuge as the sun and Mercury harmonize.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Now greater accountability around no true bills might help dissuade further chicanery by prosecutors.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
-
There’s a tremendous amount of financial chicanery that goes on in 2026.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Peacock’s adventures in treachery The Traitors was the top dog, scoring five prizes including Best Competition Series and Best Host for Alan Cumming.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
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Inflamed by Ratansen’s adviser’s account of Padmavati’s beauty, Alauddin Khalji storms the fortress by treachery rather than valor.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The other one is the idea of political skullduggery going on in the background.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
-
And though O’Neil, who has been inside, says the building itself is in no shape for skullduggery, that doesn’t mean said skullduggery isn’t happening elsewhere.—
A.K. Whitney,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legerdemain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legerdemain. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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